This includes location data, specific enough to track people over time. The purpose is to investigate possible tax evasion, and also sanctions evasion. Legally, the treasury could not get warrants or perhaps even subpoenas for this kind of data, due to the fourth amendment. But they can still buy it. (Similarly, the police buy license-plate-reader data even when they might not legally be able to collect such data directly.)
theintercept.com/2021/11/04/treasury-surveillance-location-data-babel-street.
The Epic v Apple case is starting to look like more of a loss for Apple than before, if not exactly a win for Epic Games. Judge Gonzalez Rogers has ordered Apple to permit in-app links to alternative, non-Apple payment methods starting on December 9.
This will cut Apple out of its 30% take of all app payments.
Previously, Apple accepted a change allowing app developers to contact their users via email, instead of only through Apple-monitored channels. That change was inconsequential, by comparison. Apple has appealed to the Ninth Circuit for a stay in the payment-options ruling.
I doubt this "Restore America's Leadership in Innovation" act will get anywhere, but it raises some profound questions. Parts of the law propose shutting off options for defendants to appeal the granting of a patent to a plaintiff. Other parts propose allowing patentability of "inventions" that the Supreme Court has ruled were too stupid to patent under existing law.
patentlyo.com/patent/2021/11/restoring-leadership-innovation.html.
Not, however, the US Supreme Court.
The UK Supreme Court issued a ruling making it much harder to file class-action lawsuits against Google. An existing lawsuit claiming that Google collected too much information failed because the plaintiffs had not proved that any user was harmed, either financially or emotionally. Proving harm in privacy cases is often a hurdle.
www.cityam.com/supreme-court-shock-google-ruling-sends-shockwaves-through-london-legal-community.
Debates
Obvious in context
Software-patent issues
Broad patents and the Wright brothers
Benson, Flook and Diehr
Federal Circuit
Examples of software patents
Heckel examples
Eolas
E-data
i4i
NTP
Patent trolls
Business methods
Apple patents
Stallman
Graham
Europe
KSR v Teleflex
Bilski
Mayo Labs, Myriad Genetics
Abstract patents; Ultramercial and Alice